Stewart's eyes location outside entrance to GlobalFoundries

MALTA -- Looking ahead at Malta's growth, Stewart's Shops wants to build a $1.8 million store on Route 67 across from GlobalFoundries' main entrance.

The northwest corner of that roundabout is the parcel on which Stewart's has its eye, and there the company hopes to collaborate with Malta town government in creating a shop that fits into the neighborhood.

Part of that $1.8 million is the $600,000 Stewart's would pay the nonprofit Luther Forest Technology Campus Economic Development Corp. (LFTCEDC), which owns the land along Route 67. The organization also owns the 1,400-acre Luther Forest campus, where the GlobalFoundries plant is located.

To gain permission to buy the land and start building, Stewart's must request a change to Luther Forest Technology Campus' planned development district (PDD). A PDD is a special zoning district that may be created to allow property development for uses not otherwise permitted. Malta has often authorized creation of various PDDs as development spreads throughout the town.

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"We asked the Town Board to consider whether this project has merit and to consider rezoning the LFTC PDD," Tom Mailey of Stewart's marketing department said. "This is our initial proposal."

Malta Town Board members commended Stewart's plans, particularly appreciating the company's intention to emulate the surrounding architecture in Malta.

"It seems to be an attractive building that will blend in with its residential setting," Malta Town Supervisor Paul Sausville said. "There is an old stone house nearby whose features Stewart's will try to incorporate."

The biggest bone of contention so far seems to be the Town Board's wish to have the new shop's gas pumps situated behind the store. This type of planning is part of Malta's new form-based code in which safe and attractive street-scapes are stressed.

"Having the gas pumps in back takes away some of their ugliness," Saus-ville said.

Stewart's reprentatives said they are willing to discuss the matter further.

"We've never seen it done anywhere where it looks good or works, but we have an open mind and will work cooperatively with the town of Malta," Mailey said. "The Town Board members are all very reasonable people."

The shop plans will next go before the Planning Board, then back to the Town Board.

Stewart's family-owned chain of convenience stores has about $1.5 billion in annual revenue and 1,200 employees. If built, the store in Malta would be its 330th shop.

GlobalFoundries, called the biggest Capital Region private-sector project, employs 2,000 workers. In the spring, the chipmaker is set to break ground on a $2 billion research hub that will employ another 1,000 people and create hundreds of construction jobs. The company is also pursuing town approval for a second manufacturing plant even larger than the first.

"In five or 10 years down the road, our business will increase immensely in this area," Mailey said. "The boards' mission is to improve their towns, and Stewart's mission is to work collaboratively with these towns to create projects to be proud of that interact well with our customer base."